Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-02
POLITICAL HISTORY.

POLITICAL HlSlOlY:
Bro. Hull, do not be alarmed at the
rabid utterances in last weeks True
Republican. Aside from the idea that
unless you change your mind you are
branded as a liar, the article purports
to give snatches of political history in
Jerauld county. From it we learn that
there are "but two factions in Jerauld
county, the one headed by l.. n. Loom
is and the other by t. l.. Blank; that
the mechanical genius Of the True Re-
publican is mot mortgaged" to L. n.
Loomis nor pays him 80 per cent" that
no one party faction should be blamed
for Mr.. Williams mistakes; that his
first political friends are now "denounc-
ing him." that L. L. Blank after being
defeated in his candidacy for Register
of Deeds in the regular Republican
convention headed a bolters ticket
with Mr.. Williams; and that Mr.. Will
hams errors can be charged to no one
except himself or perhaps the "lenien-
cy" of the "old board of county COM
missioners." If there are but two fac
lions in our county what becomes Of
the democratic organization? Does it
act Independent and alone or does it
affiliate with the Loomis faction? Sure
ly the latter, as is evidenced by the con-
vention of 1886 where some of the del
egates we're not republicans and many
had been sent there by the aid Of dem
ocratic voters at the primaries, and
then this fall they imported some Of
the democratic bosses from Blaine
, township to aid in the election of COM
;. missioner Grant. It should be borne
in mind that L. L. Blank never asked
, for nomination in any regular re-
publican convention in Jerauld county
). and that Mr.. Williams was the "bolter''
in 1884 and secured his election by the
4 use of Republican tickets containing
S his name instead of that Of Mr.. Peirce
the regular nominee. During that
{ term of office Mr.. Williams became
! the tool Of the ring who took him uI
as their candidate IN 1886, and had they
shown half the zeal or interest in his
welfare as they did in his election Mr.
: Williams would not have fallen into
) the errors that marked his later admin
y istration. Should these errors bs
charged Up against the cold board 0,
t county commissioners" to whom would
r they belong? Certainly not to thu
a first, the appointed, board, consisting
5 of Messrs Smart, Melcher and Fisher
We know front personal knowledg,
that every cent was accounted for, dur
= ing that year, by Mr.. Williams. Tit
= next year, 1885, Messrs Fisher, Sullivan
and Wilson composed the board, in 1881
) Messrs Sullivan, Wilson and Knudtso1
It constituted the, board. In 1887 Mr.
II Sickler replaced Mr.. Sullivan. So thu
Il 'old board" referred to as being thu
IS clement ones must have been Messr!
Fisher, Knudtson, Wilson and Sullivan
g So it should be distinctly understood
!. that it any boards of commissioners
o were "lenient" towards Mr.. William:
i it was those Of 1885, and 1886 composed
of the last named: gentleman. The
True Republican says it is in. favor O.
e an "unprejudiced" investigation Of the
u financial condition of the county a!
L. soon as the tax of 1886 ID all collected
l. What in the name of common sens
q has the collection of that tax got to d.
with the shortage in Mr.. Williams &C
e, counts. The Irregularities are not ii
" the amounts to be collected: but II
IS those that were collected by Mr. Viii
q, liams before.'he went away. 1t nov
t. transpires that certain members Of th,
Loomis faction knew Of Mr.. Williams
shortage months before he left. We
- nothing was given to the public. Ant
- why there has not been thorough in
= vestigation made and given to the tas
y payers is not quite clear. but if TIL
: truth was known it might be clear ant
- the same thing explain the motive C
. Messrs Loomis and Co. in their zeal
g Gus efforts to elect Mr.. Grant as com
L. missioner in the End district. Ii Ger
Y tain business MEN Of this place wer'
o aware OF the reports concerning theil
l. connection with the affair, itseems t,
Il Us that they world certainly favor ;
'hOrnnph lnvhstigat,on